Shrapnel.



PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

R. P. STOUT.

SHRAPNEL. AIIPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1903.

elf/foam UNITED STATES TENT oEEIoE.

ROB RT P. SToUT, or SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSIGNOR TO THE BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, or SOUTH BETHLEHEM, A PENNSYLVANIA, A coBPoRAT1o oF PENNSYLVANIA.

SHRAPNEL.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT P. STOUT, a citizen of the United States, residing at South and flight of the she l.

' The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a shell embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section corres onding to a art of Fig. 1 and showing a di erent metho of securin the balls in position.

Re erring to the drawings, 1 indicates a shell of ordinary construction having a chamthe screw-joint 7. Extendingl ber 2 for the bursting charge and a chamber 3 for the bullets. The chambers 2 and 3 are seplarated by a strong metal dia hi'agm 4, w 'ch is detachably seated in the ase of the shell. Near the point of the shell is a second diaphragm 5, forming the other end of the chamber. 3. This latter dia hra m is seated in the head 6 of the shell, w 'ch ead is referably united with the'body of the shell by through the diaphragms from a cavity in t e head to the chamber 2 'is a tube 8, through which the flash of fire is carried from the time-fuse to the bursting charge.

are of iron, steel, or other suitable metal. It

is desirable to so connect the charge of balls with the shell that they will revolve with-the shell when the latter is fired, the same as if they were integral with it. To revent the shell from rotating more rapi y than the balls, due to the inertia of the latter, I provide the interior of the wall of the shell with suitable ribs or projections 10.- To cause these ribs or rojections to properly engage the balls, the latter must'be packed solid in the shell and clamped in position. AS this is diificult to attain when the balls are all of hard metal, I provide each shell with at least one layer of compressible material. I pref- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 29. 1903. Serial No. 175,056.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

erably use a layer shown in Fig. 1, are next to the u per diahragm 5. When the shell is fi ed with ard-metal balls and the u balls, the head 6 is tighty secured down, compressing the lead balls on the hard balls and clamping the entire contents of the chamber 3 into one solid mass. This clamping per layer of lead of lead balls 11, which, as i operation holds the balls tightly against the ribs or projections 10, and when the shell is fired the entire contents turn with it as a solid mass.

the to they may be arranged at any other part 0 he chamber3. It is preferable, how'- ever, to place them at the top, as they could then be arranged to the best advantage.

Instead of the lead balls 11 a sheet of lead or other suitable compressible or ductile material may be used. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 3, a sheet 12 of lead or other suitable material is placed in an intermediate position in the chamber 3 and the balance of the chamber filled with balls. .ject above the lane of the diaphragm 5 w en the shell is filled, and the head is then screwed down until it is firmly seated, thus driving the balls adjacent to the layer of lead .into

thelatter and compacting the entire mass.

. Without, therefore, limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement illustrated and described, I claim -1. In a-shrapnel, the-combination with a shell having chambers for the bursting charge and for the char e of balls, of a charge of hard-metal balls wit said shell, a portion of ductile or compressible material within saidshell and in contact with said charge of hard-metal balls, and means forclamping the balls upon said ductile or compressible material, whereby relative rotation of the balls and shell is prevented. f

2. In a shrapnel, the combination with a shell having chambers for the bursting charge and for the char e of balls, of a charge of hard-metal balls wit said shell, a layer of ductile or compressible balls within the shell and in contact with the charge of hardmetal balls, and means for. clamping the hard balls upon said ductile or compressible balls, whereby relative rotation of the balls and 'shell is prevented. 3. In a shrapnel,

Instead of putting the layer of balls 11 at The latter slightly ro- ICC 105, the combination with a shell having chambers for the bursting charge and for the charge of balls, of longitudinal ribs 11 on the interior of said latter chamber, a 0 large of hard-metal balls within said chamber, a portion of lead balls within said chamber, and means for clamping said lead and hard balls tightly within the chamber and in engagement with said ribs, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a shrapnel, the combination with a shell having chambers for the bursting charge and for the char c of balls, of a charge of hard-metal balls within said shell, a layer of ductile or compressible ballsbetween one end of the charge of hard balls and thechamber of the shell within which said charge is arranged, and means l' or clamping the hard balls upon said ductile or compressible balls, substantially as and for the purpose described In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT P. STOUT Witnesses EMIL A. GATHMANN, J. F. PELLY. 

